as moeggs

Thanks again for the info. In regards to my elk hunting experience, I have hunted Colorado twice and Wyoming once. I realize my limited experience makes me a "green horn" still as Mad Jack would tell ya, but I have read and talked to enough people about western elk hunting to make me more knowledgable than a lot of people I ran into out there. Own an atv, but have found elk are not a big fan of them; therefore why would I want to ruin my hunting or someone else's? I am in the mindset like jjwille, getting away from the crowds and into wilderness elk is what I am looking for. It sounds like my friend Dan may actually be right on Idaho.?

jjwillie

EKM-
I'm not sure which side of the ATV fence you sit on, based on your reply to my post.

I don't want to make this an issue, but what I was stating about ATVs is only my opinion. I choose to "get lost" in a wilderness and remove myself from the modern-day lifestyle for two weeks every year. That, to me, is how I unwind, even if I don't harvest anything.
Its kind of like salmon fishing on some of the major streams out west. All the most accessible areas are shoulder-to-shoulder. Why not walk a bit aways from the crowd for some solitude for (IMO) a more enjoyable experience. I know ATVs have their place, and am not an ATV-opponent. Just my simple preference on how I like to hunt and I offered the opinion becuase it seemed like that was in-line with how the original poster likes to hunt.

As moeggs....let me know where you're thinking about going in Idaho...I might be able to help you out a little. You can PM if you want.

EKM

as moeggs,
Very humble, IMHO anyone that has been elk hunting that many times is not a greenhorn, especially if they were paying attention.
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Ah, my side of the fence don't have ATV's.
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FYI,
I hunt in areas 3 &4 and in myforest, ATVs are not allowed off the graded road, just like pickups are not allowed off of the graded road. The exceptionis "vehicles at campsites" and the rule there is "you better bereasonably close to the road." They have all these hunters in there and they have to put them somewhere. And for sure if winter weather hits, one will want that camp close to the road, especially if you are packing any weight at all, sometimes it is easy to get in and hard to get out, even with 4WD.

Horses and boots on the other hand are free to (quietly) roam as far and wide as they choose, hence a fair number of more remote "spike camps."
Even on public ground, with lots of hunters, the rewards of naturecan bequite high....
Since I see plenty of motorized traffic here in Denver, I findno need to travel distances in quest of nature and good hunting only to see even more.
Seems some folks liketo take a piece of the city traffic right off the road and into the back country with themI guess and as some have said, if it is legal, then by law it has to be "okay."

For the areas I hunt, part of my gear includes a pair of side cutters. I figure that if I ever find some unattended illegal vehicles, thenI could get some measure of satisfaction. Ifigure if the whole thing went South and I got caught, law enforcement would probably kinda look the other way when it came to the $6.00 (4x$1.50) worth of cut valve stems and just send me on my way with a scoldingwhile they write the guy up. Hope that day never comes, so far everyone I've seen obeys the law (of course, they did make it real simple and real clear, i.e. NO, PERIOD!]....

One sure would have to study that one closelybefore acting on it. Sure would get the adrenalin up though and would be soooo satisfying if pulled off cleanly and would go down in the annals of camp lore.

You know, those of you that carry the larger leatherman with the wire cutter could probably do the same thing --- you sure don't want to get into shooting, burning, or destroying property that could put enough points against you to cause you to lose your hunting rights.

as moeggs

I understand where you're coming from EKM......but man, don't get yourself into hot water taking the law into your own hands. It's probably not worth it, but that's your business. I have found typically where elk are hiding, one cannot get to them by atv or pickup.....onpublic land anyway. If I want semi-solitude and elk, time start walking into the thick stuff! How did you do this year in CO this year EKM? Take care all.

mtmmike1988

might want to hunt around challis good elk (limted draw area get in touch with landowner for tagscolorado has some goods units but you need preferance points some excellent bulls in idaho saw some 370 and bigger bulls the last 3 years